Key takeaways
- The Citi Double Cash® Card and Chase Freedom Unlimited® both offer cash back without an annual fee.
- Chase Freedom Unlimited offers boosted rewards in a number of categories, while the Citi Double Cash earns a flat rate on all purchases.
- Both cards are great for earning rewards on everyday purchases, but which card is better for you depends on your spending habits.
- For those looking to focus on paying down previous balances, Citi Double Cash Card may be a great fit with its intro APR offer.
Citi is an advertising partner.
The Citi Double Cash® Card and Chase Freedom Unlimited® both offer simple cash back earning opportunities on all purchases for no annual fee. The Double Cash is a true flat-rate card, meaning you earn the same 2 percent cash back on everything no matter your purchase category. The Freedom Unlimited, on the other hand, offers at least 1.5 percent cash back on every purchase — higher than the typical 1 percent back on bonus category cards — and boosted rewards in some everyday categories.
The best option for you depends on your spending habits.
Main Details
| Features | Citi Double Cash® Card | Chase Freedom Unlimited® |
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| Rewards rate |
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| Introductory APR |
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Citi Double Cash Card vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited highlights
Here’s a closer look at the similarities and differences between these two cash back credit cards to help you determine which is a better choice for your lifestyle.
Welcome bonus winner
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Both the Citi Double Cash and the Chase Freedom Unlimited offer a $200 bonus after meeting spending requirements — a typical bonus for a no-annual-fee credit card. However, the two cards differ in their spending requirements. The Double Cash requires you to spend $1,500 in 6 months to earn the bonus ($250 a month on average) while the Freedom Unlimited requires you to spend only $500 in 3 months ($167 a month on average).
While the actual bonuses for both cards are the same, the Chase Freedom Unlimited’s welcome bonus wins for being easier to obtain.
Rewards rate winner
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While the Citi Double Cash’s up 2 percent cash back rewards rate (1 percent as you buy and an additional 1 percent as you pay) is one of the highest you’ll find for flat-rate cards, it’s hard to compete with Freedom Unlimited’s slightly lower 1.5 percent on all purchases combined with its additional everyday bonus categories.
The Freedom Unlimited earns 5 percent back on Chase Travel purchases, 3 percent back on dining (including takeout and eligible delivery services) and 3 percent back on drugstore purchases. The card also earns 2 percent back on eligible Lyft purchases through Sept. 30, 2027.
The Double Cash technically has one bonus category, offering 5% total cash back on car rentals, hotels and attractions purchased through Citi Travel, But, the transactions that fall into that category are relatively limited. By contrast, the Freedom Unlimited’s bonus categories are broader and applicable to a wider audience. For cardholders who spend a lot on dining and drugstores, the Freedom Unlimited’s extra rewards on those purchases can be more rewarding than the Double Cash’s higher base rate on everything else.
Still, the Citi Double Cash is a good choice for cardholders who only want to maximize a flat-rate card or who need a little extra motivation to pay off their credit card bill each month. Remember, you won’t earn the full 2 percent back with the Double Cash Card until you pay for the purchases.
Annual fee winner
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Neither the Citi Double Cash nor Chase Freedom Unlimited charges an annual fee.
Some similar rewards credit cards charge annual fees of around $95 per year while offering decent perks. That’s not the case here; you can try out either card for free and still enjoy a multitude of benefits.
Intro APR on balance transfers winner
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The Freedom Unlimited offers a 0 percent introductory APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers (18.99% – 28.49% Variable APR thereafter) with a balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3% (whichever is greater) in the first 60 days. After that, the balance transfer fee is $5 or 5 percent (whichever is greater).
If you transfer your balances to the Citi Double Cash, you’ll get one of the longest balance transfer offers available on a rewards card: 0 percent intro APR for 18 months (18.24% – 28.24% (Variable) APR thereafter). Keep in mind you’ll also owe a balance transfer fee of 3 percent (for balance transfers made within 4 months of account opening) or 5 percent (for balance transfers made after 4 months), with a $5 minimum for both.
Intro APR on purchases winner
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As noted above, the Freedom Unlimited carries a 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 15 months (18.99% – 28.49% Variable APR thereafter), while the Citi Double Cash does not offer an intro APR offer on purchases.
Which card earns the most?
To make a decision about which card would allow you to maximize your cash back, it’s best to look at true-to-life scenarios that represent typical spending patterns.
Citi Double Cash vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited spending example
Say you spend the following in your first year of owning the Freedom Unlimited:
- $100 a month ($1,200 annually) on flights purchased through Chase Travel
- $100 a month ($1,200 annually) on hotels, rental cars and attractions purchased through Chase Travel
- $500 a month on dining ($6,000 annually)
- $100 a month on drugstore purchases ($1,200 annually)
- $100 a month on Lyft purchases ($1,200 annually)
- $500 a month on all other purchases ($6,000 annually)
In doing so, you’ll earn about $450 in cash back (in the form of 45,000 Ultimate Rewards points), plus an additional $200 in cash back (20,000 Ultimate Rewards points) from the welcome bonus. That’s $650 (65,000 Ultimate Rewards points) total.
Additionally, if you also have a premium Chase credit card, such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve® or Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, you could pool your points onto that card and transfer them to Chase’s hotel and airline partners, which offer an average value of up 2 cents per point, according to Bankrate’s valuations.
If your total spending and purchase categories remain the same as the above example, but you book the $100 a month ($1,200 a year) of car rentals, hotels and attractions through Citi Travel instead of Chase Travel, you’ll earn $372 in cash back over the year once you’ve paid off your entire balance. Combined with the welcome bonus, that’s $572 total in the first year. Similar to the Chase Freedom Unlimited, the Citi Double Cash’s rewards are in the form of Citi ThankYou points, which can be pooled with a premium Citi card (such as the Citi Strata Premier® Card) to unlock more redemption options and potentially greater value.
Why should you get the Citi Double Cash?
The Citi Double Cash is extra beneficial to those who have debt on other high-interest credit cards and hoping to pay it off with a balance transfer strategy.
The card comes with a generous intro APR offer on balance transfers. Still, you should be prepared to end the debt cycle and pay your balances in full if you want to maximize the card’s up to 2 percent in cash back rewards and enjoy its other perks.
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The main appeal of Citi Double Cash is its 2 percent cash back and intro APR offer, but you may qualify for extra Mastercard benefits. Cardholders also get 24/7 customer service, 24-hour fraud protection, and access to exclusive event ticket purchases through Citi Entertainment.
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The Citi Double Cash has a few different ways to redeem rewards. You can redeem your points for cash back as a statement credit, direct deposit or check at a value of 1 cent per point. There’s no minimum when redeeming for a statement credit or direct deposit. You can also redeem your points for gift cards, Shop with Points at Amazon, travel and more. The redemption values for those options may vary.
Additionally, the rewards you earn are technically ThankYou points, which you can combine with ThankYou points earned with other Citi cards. Use your points to book travel or transfer them to travel loyalty programs if you have a premium Citi card.
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To apply for this card, you should have a good to excellent rating on your credit history (typically a FICO score of 670 or better).
Why should you get the Chase Freedom Unlimited?
One of the reasons cardholders love the Chase Freedom Unlimited is because it offers plenty of benefits alongside a great rewards structure, and gives you access to the Chase Ultimate Rewards ecosystem with no annual fee.
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The Chase Freedom Unlimited offers six months of complimentary DashPass (giving you $0 delivery fees and lower service fees on eligible DoorDash and Caviar orders). After that, you’ll be automatically enrolled in a paid DashPass subscription at the current monthly rate until you cancel. This benefit must be activated by Dec. 31, 2027. You’ll also get up to $10 off quarterly on non-restaurant DoorDash orders while you have an active DashPass membership through Dec. 31, 2027.
Outside of branded partner perks and Visa benefits, the Freedom Unlimited card comes with a rich platter of purchase and travel protections. These include purchase protection against damage and theft, extended warranty protection, auto rental coverage, trip cancellation and interruption insurance and more.
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The Chase Freedom Unlimited lets you redeem your points for cash back (via statement credit or direct deposit) with no minimum, gift cards, travel booked through Chase Travel or shopping with Amazon. Cash back is worth 1 cent per point, while the values of other redemption options may vary. Chase points don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
If you already have the Sapphire Preferred or Sapphire Reserve in your wallet, remember you can boost your rewards by combining them under those cards. That also opens the door so you can transfer your points to one of Chase’s many travel partners or receive a value boost on select redemptions through Chase Travel.
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To qualify for the Freedom Unlimited, it’s best to have a good to excellent credit score of 670-850 (FICO).
The bottom line
The choice of which card is best for you – the Citi Double Cash or Chase Freedom Unlimited – may come down to your overall rewards strategy. Can you maximize the Freedom Unlimited’s bonus categories, or would you benefit from the Double Cash’s higher flat rate on all purchases? Do you want to earn rewards in the Ultimate Rewards or ThankYou points ecosystem?
Another consideration is whether you need the lengthier promotional balance transfer period offered by the Double Cash card, or if you prefer the Freedom Unlimited’s shorter 0% APR period that applies to new purchases as well as balance transfers.
In terms of rewards and card benefits, the Freedom Unlimited will likely offer more long-term value than the Citi Double Cash for most people. But, if you’d rather have an uncomplicated cash rewards card with an impressive overall cash back rate and no categories to deal with, the Citi Double Cash may be worth it for you. Or, you can get both cards and pair them together for maximum rewards by using the Freedom Unlimited exclusively for purchases in its bonus categories and the Double Cash for everything else.
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